Many materials are originally formulated in a liquid or semi-liquid form for application, shaping, molding, or the like and then allowed to solidify or harden. For example, plastics and metals are heated such that they take on a liquid or malleable form and then solidify as they cool. Paints and other water or oil-based coating materials solidify to obtain a hard surface when exposed to air.
The present invention relates to thermosetting resins containing epoxy groups that, when blended or mixed with other chemicals, solidify or harden to obtain a strong, hard, chemically resistant coating, adhesive or the like. The present invention has application to the mixing and dispensing of any two materials; the scope of the present invention should thus be determined by the claims appended hereto and not the following detailed description of the invention.
Hard surfaces such as ceramic or fiberglass may be scratched or chipped. These surfaces cannot practically be repaired using water or oil based coatings, so two part epoxy materials are typically used to repair smooth hard surfaces such as ceramic or fiberglass. Two part materials are typically manufactured and sold in two separate containers (e.g., squeeze tubes or small buckets). The materials that are combined to form a repair material will be referred to as A and B materials in the following discussion.
Appropriate quantities of the A and B materials are conventionally removed or dispensed from the two separate containers and mixed immediately prior to application. Once the A/B mixture is formed, the materials must be applied before the mixture hardens. Typically, a brush, spatula, scraper, or the like is used to apply the A/B mixture to the surface to be repaired. A surface repaired as just described will typically function adequately. In addition, the color of the repaired surface may match the color of the non-repaired surface.
Conventional systems and methods for mixing and dispensing two-part materials further require mixing plates or pans and other application tools that must be provided and then subsequently cleaned or disposed of after use.
Also, in many situations, the A and B materials must be mixed in relatively precise ratios. Using conventional mixing/dispensing systems and methods, an inexperienced user may have difficulty mixing the A and B materials in the required ratio, resulting in an improper A/B mixture.
Conventional mixing/dispensing systems do not provide an easy, hands-free dispensing system. The tool employed to measure and/or mix the A and B materials is often used to dispense these materials.
A goal of the present invention is thus to provide improved systems or methods for accurately mixing two-part materials that allows the A and B materials to be easily mixed and applied by non-experts and which minimizes clean-up concerns.